Diaper Bags

My custom diaper bags have become a popular item in my store. I really love making them and mixing it up! It's fun because everyones taste is a little different and I get to play with so many fabrics! This diaper bag I made to sell because I just love the new Dance With Me fabric from Jennifer Paganelli. The "cheater" patchwork reminds me of my bedding as a tween. As soon as I saw it, for some reason I thought diaper bag, so I used that fabric for the flap and then used coordinating fabrics from Jen's other lines to pull out the colors in the patchwork. I call it "groovy cottage" because it has a 70's flavor with cottage coziness. I get to do a "real" patchwork diaper bag for someone in Amy Butler's Midwest Modern2 & Daisy Chain in aquas and greens. I am itching to make it and can't wait to post pics. She also wants a baby blanket and burp cloths. Quite a beautiful set in the making. I still can't believe that I do what I do. Creating all these beauties is a dream job for me!! God is good!

Blankets Galore

I am really enjoying making patchwork and minky blankets. It is really so rewarding and each one is different. My husband and I trekked out to downtown LA to buy a ton of minky. It is really hard to see what color it is online. There are no good sources locally, so everything is online- which is fine with me! I have such creative customers- always willing to work things out, be kind to what stash I have. Each blanket is a labor of love- truly!! My son told me the other day that I was in love with fabric. Kids are so intuitive sometimes. I was commenting on his boy favorites and saying "How could you love playing airsoft?"- I don't get the whole gun thing. He said that was better than loving fabric- ha! Fabric won't hurt you! I hope to get lots of blanket orders so I can order more minky and fabric that I love!!

Darla Chronicles

Here is my Darla quilt ready to quilt. I say "my" quilt, but it is actually for a customer and I know I will be so sad to see it get mailed out. I feel like each project is a part of me and it is hard to part with it. The good news is that I know it is going to a good home of a fellow Darla lover. My daughter has already had me start to plan one for her room, but she wants it as a summer blanket with minky on the back. I would like to try it to see if I can make one that big without "tying" it together. Work study is what I will tell my husband! He always says, "Do we really need another blanket?" Of course we do! :)

I have been really pleased with the way it has turned out so far. I keep thinking of the verse God gave me, "The Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands" Deuteronomy 2:7, and can't help but feel that way with this quilt. Sometimes I look at it and say "Wow, it all lines up!" or "It's the exact measured size I need!". I keep surprising myself with each step. Good thing, though, because how could I send this to someone feeling frustrated with it. I know there will be flaws, but I'm human! My sewing mentor, Pam, once said, "If you don't notice the mistake if you were on a galloping horse, don't worry about it." Okay, I can handle that, then!! I can't wait to start today!

What to do with scraps? Well, I decided to make a wall hanging for my daughter's room using raw-edge applique. I confess I would get frustrated if I did it it the traditional way, so I can get a quicker gratification with this method. I also entered it into a contest from sewmamasew's blog
http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/index.php?paged=2. I feel like I accomplished 2 things: using up my stash and scraps and make my daughter happy!

So Many New Fabrics, So Little Time!!

I have been getting new fabric almost every day. Some for special orders, some I just have to have! Check out my flickr site to see all the new postings:

http://flickr.com/photos/sewfunbymonique

We are getting ready for Easter this weekend and I will be doing dinner for my family. We are looking forward to a nice, warm, family day. It is supposed to be 75 degrees here in CA. PERFECT! Have a blessed Easter!

Flower Power Weekend

I spent the weekend making many things from Jennifer Paganelli's Flower Power fabrics. Those colors are so amazing to work with. Even my husband liked the colors! I made a random patchwork purse, baby blanket, doll blanket and onesie. I am going to make one for myself with all the scraps. The random patchwork is my favorite to sew. I decide on the overall dimensions and then just start piecing to create the width and length I need. It is a great way to use scraps. Usually I have a focus fabric that has all the colors I want to use and then build from there. No 2 purses come out the same. I really enjoy quilting it. It is a manageable size, unlike my queen duvet I recently finished. I have posted pictures on my flickr site. A link to it is on the sidebar. I listed a red & pink random patchwork in my store on friday because I sold the pink and brown one earlier this week.

Darla Fabrics

I have had a few orders lately requesting Tanya Whelan's Darla fabrics. I just love them! They look vintage and fresh and I love the different patterns within the colors- check, damask, floral, toile, small floral- really pretty. I have enjoyed every minute sewing with these fabrics. The quality is wonderful, too. I'm thankful I still have more orders to fill and can still work with them!